Competition Brings Out Our Best Selves

The all new Adobe Creative Cloud 2015 released this week - I’ll wait a moment while you go download it…

Back? Okay, cool. So Adobe Creative Cloud 2015 introduces some new and interesting features, specifically some of the new additions to Photoshop. The updated features we’ve seen are pretty awesome, like the ability to use artboards in Photoshop documents - which allows for multiple iterations, the ability to show multiple page types, and the ability to show responsive design for multiple devices simultaneously in the same viewing area - all of which increase freedom and flexibility while building responsive designs.

However, some of these features are also available in other programs, and there are options that Adobe's Creative Suite still does not have. Sketch, for instance, offers some really cool and unique options that really feel like they should be already available in the Creative Suite, like a feature called Pixel Zoom, which lets you see things as vector and pixel artwork with just the push of a button.

This is where I say that competition brings out our best selves. Adobe had been resting on its laurels while a newcomer, Sketch, came along with some features that the users wanted. Had Adobe decided to dig their heels into the sand and stay put, things may have gotten bad for them. But they decided to innovate, or at least adapt. Adobe is primarily what designers have learned on and use, and for a long time it had also been the only option available. But the time of being the sole player is over, and people are getting much more savvy, to the point that they’ll create their own programs to solve the problem they’re having with existing programs.

Competition helps us hold ourselves accountable instead of letting routine dictate what we say and do. It helps us stay relevant to current tastes, trends, and practices. Most importantly, it keeps us honest. It gives us a chance to really look in the mirror and objectively gauge ourselves. Are we providing the highest quality work at the most competitive prices, or are we stuck in a routine of saying “This is how we’ve always done it.”? That little saying can be pretty dangerous - so how do we avoid that? We keep growing.

Humanity is hardwired to find new forms of stimuli, whether it’s drawing inspiration from a bowl of cereal or finding a good idea while out taking a walk. The key is to keep yourself open to inspiration.

If you’re looking to be inspired, or to be our inspiration, drop us a line. Let’s inspire each other to become our best selves.

We’re celebrating happy hour by launching a new suite of websites for Reyes Beer Division, the largest beer distributor in the U.S.: reyesbeerdivision.com
Fun fact: Launching 14 websites in a single day is a new NK record!
#NKDesign

How do you elevate a commodity product into a profitable sales leader? Our work with High River Angus looks at savvy program positioning, smart branding, and a multi-channel communications strategy that led to impactful sales results:
newhallklein.com/work/high-rive…#NKDesign#Branding